Gathering the Strongest Seven
by Mizuki99
Summary: "Let me put it this way, my little wildcat… what have you got to lose?" Those words would be the death of him because of how true they rang. What did he have to lose? Well… one thing was for certain. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. Arcobaleno AU. Arcobaleno27. Rating due to change.
1. Prologue

**_Title_**: Gathering the Strongest Seven  
**_Summary_**:  
**_Rating_**: T – possibly M for violence and dark themes (I will change it later)  
**_Genre_**: Suspense/Drama/Mystery/Angst... maybe a bit of romance  
**_Length_**: Eh...

* * *

**_Author's Note_**: I was going to wait to post any stories until late March because of a change in my plans but I need the positive output from the reviews (even though this time is anything but positive).

I suppose there is one good thing that comes from all of this. I'm staying at my one of muses' house.

* * *

Prologue: The Strongest

Reborn's legs throbbed under his weight.

It had been a long day today; hunting his target down had been more tedious than exciting but the pay was good so he supposed he couldn't complain. Still. His idea of hunting usually entailed a high speed chase of some sort, not standing in a ballroom for hours and then poisoning his Champaign… but the job was done, another scumbag dead.

He dropped his keys in the dish specifically placed for them before going into his office. His apartment was two-bedroom, one room being an office and the other his sleeping quarters. The walls had dark wood paneling the lower half while the upper half was painted a masculine shade of peach-orange. The paneling was in the living room, the hallways and in his bedroom but his office had a more modern feel with a black-glass topped desk and a bulky looking computer. On the far wall, however, there were pictures with pins in them, save for one—his most recent target. Reborn put a red pin through the picture and scanned the different faces disinterestedly. Beside him, Tavi (his lizard) scuffled on the leaf of his Fichus and he ran a finger along the underside of the chameleon's chin.

Just another day in paradise, he thought blithely and then he stiffened.

He wasn't alone.

"Who's there?" Reborn demanded, drawing his gun with expert precision. "Show yourself." He said calmly, with calculative cruelty lingering in his voice—a killer's intent that reflected very vividly in his eyes.

"As I thought." A voice said with what could only be described as satisfied. "You are qualified for my power."

Power? Reborn filed his words away for later use. "Who are you?" He asked again. "On whose behalf were you sent?" He asked. Reborn had any number of enemies and/or people who wanted his help, though usually they went through different channels. No matter. Reborn would get to the bottom of it one way or the other.

"Oh, it's just me. No Family, no alliance." He said flippantly. Reborn's eyes narrowed and his finger tightened a bit on the trigger. The figure stood and reached into his suit and Reborn let one of his bullets fly past him in warning.

"Don't move." He hissed, feeling very much like a cornered animal which was weird because they were in his territory. He should have felt comfortable here, not… cornered.

"Don't be in such a hurry to shoot me." The man said, stepping into the light and flicking something reflective up. Reborn's eyes narrowed into slits as he processed the item. '_A clear pacifier?_' He thought. Why was he getting a sense of déjà vu? "I am here to gather the strongest seven—_I'Prescelti Sette._"

"_I'Prescelti Sette_?" Reborn repeated.

"That's right." The man said casually. "Just treat it as a job request."

"Alright then…" Reborn kept his gun trained on the intruder. His eyes narrowed into slits. "This job request, is it a team job?" He asked. He'd done a few in the past and as long as they didn't get in his way, he could work with that. "And what's the pay?" It would cost extra should they prove to be weak. He didn't deal well with incompetence.

"The remuneration will be considerable but I would like you to meet your companions and then you can tell me whether or not the job will be worth it." The man allowed and then produced a map of a secluded part of Venice. It was located in the web of back-alleys but Reborn knew them well enough to get by. "Go here." He said. "There, you will meet the others."

"Others…" Reborn grabbed the little man. He had lowered his weapon but that meant nothing, the other knew. He was lethal even without it. "What Family are you working for?" He asked warily.

"No Family." He said with a devil's grin. "Just looking out for the best of the best because no one else will…" He shifted his weight and bowed his hat in an almost mocking manner. "Good evening."

And then he was gone.

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

I will update when I can. Thank you for your patience.

**_Thanks for reading~!_**


	2. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note_**: Muses. She lectures me on the amount of plot bunnies I have... but she doesn't realize she's feeding them. *Sigh* It's all her fault, really.

* * *

Chapter 1: Condemned

"You say that you intend to look after the strongest because you need their abilities but this—this is cruel!" Luce said desperately. "There has to be an ulterior. There is _always_ an ulterior!"

"An ulterior you say?" Checkerface inquired with disdain. "Considering how readily you were to throw them into my hands with little regard for their well being, I'd say that you don't deserve an ulterior."

"But _they_ do!" Luce pleaded. "Please, Kawahira, I beg of you… give them a second chance."

"Or what, Luce?"

Luce looked down at her hands… what could she do? She was bound by the laws of the Mafia from which there was no escape except for maybe—

The pregnant shaman jerked slightly at her thoughts before her eyes steeled. "I'll end my own life."

Kawahira twitched behind his mask. "You'd condemn your child to death before she even drew her first breath?"

"If…" She paused to lick her suddenly dry lips. "If that is what it takes."

"You are foolish." Kawahira said disdainfully. "But you are entitled to a second chance, I suppose… especially considering the significance of this group."

"Significance?" Luce asked. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about because thirty years from now, you won't be alive." He said bluntly, heartlessly. "As for my choice… well, you may want to consider the fact that he's not quite as _gentle_ as you are." He drummed a gloved hand against the table, his fingers padding almost silently. "His abilities are unique. The unique weapons he carries allow him to split his Flame in seven different ways. He can, essentially, wield all seven Elements with little difficulty. Having all seven Flames channeled into the Sky Pacifier will create an enzyme that purifies the Flames before they even leave their bodies."

"If that is the case, why haven't you confronted him yet?" Luce asked, looking up at him. "Why haven't you used him?"

"Because he is an assassin—because he is freelance." Checkerface replied. "And young. Very young. Fifteen or sixteen at most. He will need converting… and even then, that is not to say they will accept him." There was no need to ask who 'they' were. He meant the other Arcobaleno.

"But he _will_ accept them?" Luce asked.

"He will respect them at the very least, even if he doesn't accept them completely." There was an indefinable note to his voice. Luce pondered on it but then decided whatever his quarrel with this person was, it was no problem of hers.

"And you are sure he does not have Elements of his own?"

"He may have… one." Checkerface allowed. "But I have little fear as that Element will become looped in with the Arcobaleno anyways if he isn't already."

In the vision she'd had, a blond male with the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen had taken Lal Mirch's place as the Rain Arcobaleno… was he one and the same? The problem with her insight was that she was often left with unanswered questions and a sense of unknowing and she couldn't tell anyone o the future or it would undoubtedly happen. "Have you met him in this plane?"

Checkerface chuckled. "I have not… but I have met him in others." He seemed to ponder whether or not he should say more. "His personality varies from realm to realm. Sometimes he is kind, other times he is as bloodthirsty as the pack he usually tends to lead but he is always the ideal representation of the Sky that accepts all without question."

"Is he… as selfless as I?" Luce questioned.

"No." Checkerface said, his mouth curving again. "He is more so."

* * *

Tsunayoshi's feet were sore.

Putting his caramel macchiato on top of the Styrofoam container full of his dinner, or rather breakfast considering it was his first meal of the day, Tsunayoshi shouldered the door open and kicked it shut behind him. He winced when it closed with a bit too hard and bits of plaster fell from the run down building.

His apartment was far from being the Ritz and kind of clashed with his well done appearance but it was homey and quiet and while it wasn't in the middle of the city, it did have a nice view. His bedroom window did overlook the nighttime skyline and that was all he could ask for. Now, many would be wondering what is a fifteen year old boy doing working at a bar in the middle of Germany when he was supposed to be going to school on a daily basis… the answer is simple.

Tsunayoshi was not a normal teenager.

Sixteen years of age, Tsunayoshi lived a delicate but balanced double life. By day, he lived in the run down part of the city which, at one point, was once full of life and color but was now sagging, the businesses on this side of town sat empty and abandoned, and several open fields lay barren of the once great factories that helped drive the economy. That was alright though. The rent was cheap and no one really bothered him and with his line of work, not being bothered was the best thing there was. In the light, he was an information broker working for the German branch of the Mafia… but by night, after the sun had set, Tsunayoshi had another job—one he preferred if he was honest about it.

He was an assassin.

His body was similar to that of a dancer—flat stomach, long legs that went from here to there, toned arms and an attractively childish face. His hair was springy and copper with a tail that crimped up around the ends and only added to his regal appearance.

The door clicked shut behind him and the brunet sighed. "Just another day in paradise…" He murmured in fluent Italian. He didn't know why he favored that language over the others. He just did. Maybe it was because that was the first language outside of Japanese that he actually learned to speak fluently? Either way…

His most recent hit had been a success. The target was dead. The kill had been quick, efficient, and marked. It was a specialty kill—his signature (which consisted of strangulation via almost invisible wire). Artemis and Solune, his clawed-gloves, had done the job well. He used them to control the wire that he kept in a compartment on the back of the gloves. The claws allowed him to feel the vibrations in the wires when he used them for purposes outside of killing.

But they weren't his only weapons. He had another—a shape-shifting chameleon by the name of Leon. Tsunayoshi had gotten him on a joint mission in Monte Carlo, along with a few pretty little marks that he hid using a generic form of Mist Flames. He had been working with an assassin by the name of Tyr at the time. He was the leader of a shadow organization within the Vongola internally referred to as the Varia. And when the mission was over, Tsuna dropped a building on the man's head. It hadn't killed him but he was fairly certain the man would think twice about double crossing someone who saved his ass from certain death again.

As he walked in, Tsunayoshi felt a prickle at the back of his mind, alerting him to the fact that he wasn't alone despite the fact that his other senses told him nothing. Leon crawled out from under his hair and transformed. Tsunayoshi spun around and pointed his now transformed weapon at the shadows where he knew his guest was. "Reveal yourself." Tsunayoshi said in German, his voice pitching low.

"I do not wish to harm you." The male's voice said pleasantly in Italian. Tsunayoshi blinked and shifted his stance to a defensive one but kept the gun trained on the person who stepped out of the shadows. "I wish to… employ your services."

"Services?" Tsunayoshi murmured, mimicking his language of choice. "What kind of services?"

"Ah," The man stepped out of the shadows, smiling pleasantly despite his intimidating appearance. He was clad in an iron mask and a red coat. He reached into his coat pocket and Tsuna tensed. "Tell me, are you familiar with the _I Prescelti Sette_?"

The Chosen Seven? "Never heard of them," He stated.

"No… you probably wouldn't have." He said dismissively. "There is a meeting in a week's time in Florence, Italy. I would like very much for you to be there. The pay will be good and the missions even better. I'll send you the details later, should you be interested."

"And why, Mr. Masked Man, would I do such a thing?" Tsunayoshi asked flippantly. He hadn't lowered his weapon but he had dropped his guard, knowing he could get it up again fast enough to defend against any attacks this stranger may have planned.

The man snickered softly sounding more pleased than malicious. "Let me put it this way, my sweet little wildcat," He stepped forward and put a hand on Tsuna's gun, lowering it and reaching up with his cane to tilt Tsuna's face up so he could look into piercing amber eyes. "What have you got to lose?"

* * *

It was with a heavy heart and a growing sense of damnation that she told her Elements of her inevitable betrayal. She had watched as everyone's face grew cold and impassive, had felt it when their Wills almost violently rejected her own. She had known that they would have rejected her but she hadn't known that it would hurt as much as it did and what was worse, she knew that she deserved it.

"How could you do this to us?" Skull asked in a broken whisper.

"I don't know." Luce said sadly, tears rimming her eyes but never falling completely no matter how much she wanted them to. She was too well trained for such things. "I don't know." She repeated. "But… there is an ulterior path."

"An ulterior path?" Verde asked.

"A new Sky, a younger one that may be able to connect with you on a different level," Luce said. "His abilities are unique to the cause at hand." She knew, even before she spoke the words, that they had not been the best ones to say. Lal had shoved away from the table and stood up abruptly looking very enraged.

"Cause at hand?" She demanded. "You're playing with lives that aren't even yours to bid away!" She snarled, resembling a lioness protecting her king.

"I know." Luce said quietly, her pain becoming evident. "And I had no choice before… but knowing that I have an ulterior path… it will allow me a chance to make it up to you… but only if you accept it."

"Accept it?" Reborn asked quietly. It was his impassive silence that hurt Luce most of all. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that… the only way you can be freed from the burden that has already been placed on your shoulders is for you to accept this new start, to accept this new Sky." Luce said almost pleadingly.

There was silence for the longest time. "And who is this… new Sky?" Fon asked, an uncharacteristic frown painting his features.

"I do not know." Luce admitted. "I have tried looking into his existence but it is as though there is something blocking me. That has never happened before." She took a breath. "I believe… that he may be of Vongola decent, however, but I do not believe that he knows it himself."

"Which lineage?" Reborn asked.

"Vongola Primo's."

Viper whistled. "Primo's lineage may not be preferred in the Mafia world but even I know to respect someone of his blood… but here's a curious thought. If he is of Vongola Primo's lineage, why does he strike such a profound sense of fear within you?"

Luce winced slightly. "He is an assassin with no affiliation." She said quietly. "I have been told that he will need… converting… that I am to be the one that converts him."

"You've never met him?" Verde inquired.

"No." Luce confirmed.

"And yet you fear him." Fon frowned. "Do you not think that you are being a bit quick to judge?"

"I don't know what I think, Fon." Luce said softly. "I cannot see him with my sight. I cannot sense his existence with the Mare Rings… it is like the Trinisette is protecting him in a way that is beyond what anyone thought possible. It is as though…" She bit her lip. "It is as though he doesn't exist."

* * *

The week had been tense for them. It was like they were all meeting for the first time again. Luce could see the thoughts turning in their minds—_if she's betrayed me, will they as well?_ It made her feel dirty, filthy even. It made her question herself all over again.

Had she done the right thing by asking for a second chance? As Luce watched as a dark haired teen scanned the alley-ways warily, his senses on high alert, from her place within the building, she couldn't help but wonder if he was good enough for them.

It had taken her a while but her sight had finally allowed her a glimpse at the teen but she could not see beyond his physical appearance. His psychological make-up and morals were all blocked from her senses. It unnerved and frightened her in just the slightest way but it was the same way the dark frightened children.

His eyes were a striking shade of gold and amber combined—it was the exact same shade as Primo's when he was in Hyper Dying Will mode. His hair was dark and messy, sticking up in every which direction, but there was a tail that swept down the curve of his back. It cut off just below the base of his ribs and crimped up at the bottom. It was tied back with some sort of silver clasp that kept it neat. His skin was a soft cream. His appearance wasn't strict but it wasn't casual with a white button-up shirt without a tie, an open jacket and a pair of slacks. The first two buttons on his shirt were undone and he seemed to have had a black collar around his neck. His overall appearance was impressive for being so young and he was svelte—toned in some places, lithe in others. From what she could see, he had no markings on his body but something told her that he wasn't entirely unmarked but whether it was scars or tattoos, she didn't know.

She watched as he glanced down at a paper in his hand before walking into the door before she pulled out of her trance. "He's arrived." She said quietly, drawing everyone's attention.

Amber eyes scanned the table with mild interest.

Tsunayoshi, for his part, was beginning to wonder just what it was this job entitled because sitting at the table were several well known freelancers/assassins within the Mafia. First and most memorable was Reborn—also referred to as the Harbinger of Chaos. It suited Tsunayoshi's alias well if he was honest about it. The second most notable was Lal Mirch simply because she was Tyr's Rain Guardian. The little red pin on her collar was proof enough to that. The third was Verde. He was known as the second coming of Da Vinci and Tsunayoshi had no doubt that his mind was working overtime in an attempt to figure out the situation before he did. Then there was Skull who ran the biggest street-racing corporation in the underground. Motor cycles, cars—anything on wheels, he stripped of its valuables and sold to various mechanical based Families. He was also well known for surviving any sort of crash and doubling over as a stunt man in the light. Next was Viper. While androgynous in appearance, Tsunayoshi was not fooled. She was a woman through and through. She was also known to have a rather fatal visual-based ability that required her to keep her eyes hidden at all times lest she kill someone by accident. And last but certainly not least was the Wind Dragon himself, Fon. Tsunayoshi knew him more from word-of-the-mouth than his appearance which was just as well. He was fast enough to stop a bullet with his bare hands and while he was finicky and preferred clean kills, he was far from weak.

"I've come as you asked." Tsunayoshi said, his soft tenor deepening in just the slightest. "Now what?"

There was a chuckle. "And as usual, you have sensed me before I even stepped out of the shadows. Your abilities are certainly impressive, young one."

"Pointless flattery will get you nowhere." Tsunayoshi's lips twitched as though he found this situation amusing. "But it makes me feel good."

"Duly noted." Checkerface said almost mockingly. Tsunayoshi knew better. "Tell me, have you heard of the Trinisette?"

"I would be an idiot to not have." Tsunayoshi said bluntly.

"What about… the Arcobaleno?" From the way his spine snapped straight, Checkerface knew he had. His smile was slick and unpleasant to Tsunayoshi's senses. Something flared in the back of his mind in warning but he pushed it aside for now. "I'd like to introduce you to the new generation of Arcobaleno." He motioned towards the rest of the table.

Tsunayoshi scoffed, "Do yourselves a favor and walk away while you still can." He said coldly, not taking his eyes off of Checkerface. "The Arcobaleno live their lives in the form of children before they vanish under mysterious circumstances."

"Ah, but that would not be the case if you were to take Miss Luce's place as the Sky Arcobaleno." There was no sense of dread and Tsunayoshi didn't feel cold as he normally would have had someone lied to him so the words were true. It didn't put him any at ease, regardless of the intention behind the words. There was a sharp snap that reverberated from nothing. It took a moment for Luce to realize it had been the claws connected to his gloves breaking through the wood almost effortlessly.

"Sorry." Tsunayoshi said, shoving his chair back. "Not interested."

"But why?" Luce asked before she could stop herself. She already knew the reason why…

"Do you know what it means to be an Arcobaleno?" Tsunayoshi demanded, spinning to glare at her. "It means that by all essentials, you are Mafia _royalty_. The last thing I want to deal with is the Council of Elders." The Council of Elders was another name for the Old Blood Alliance that the Vongola formed of all Flame-using Families and at the top of it all was none other than the Vongola Famiglia. Tsunayoshi did enough business with the Vongola by proxy because of the favors that Tyr owed him and it wasn't a crime to say he didn't want to work for one of the most bloodthirsty and seasoned Mafia Families around. Because of the Arcobaleno's standing within the Trinisette—which involved the Vongola Rings—Tsunayoshi knew that he would immediately be looped in full time and full term. Not the mention the effects of the curse…

But that didn't matter because he wasn't going to do any of it. "Stuck up Dons, the lot of them." He loosened his stance. "Especially that damned Vongola."

"Watch your tongue!" Lal snapped.

"As much as I loathe agreeing with the temperamental Rain, I'm inclined to do so. Timoteo and I are old friends." Reborn said dangerously.

"Old friends—_hah_!" Tsunayoshi scoffed. "I know all about your illicit affair with his sister-in-law." If it was possible, the room grew cold from aura alone. Tsunayoshi sneered. "Nonetheless. I refuse."

"Then the Trinisette will fall." Luce said quietly. That took Tsunayoshi aback. What did she mean? "I have committed the worst betrayal a Sky can commit. I intended to lead my Elements to their deaths with no means to escape. I beg of you." She leaned forward. Tsunayoshi knew that if she had been able to, she would have thrown herself at his feet but didn't for the sake of her child. "Please take on my place as their Sky! I am no longer fit to be called a Sky Guardian."

The tension in the air was palpable. "What… do you mean that the Trinisette will fall?" Tsunayoshi asked slowly.

"It is as I stated." Luce said, her eyes reflecting the visions she had seen. Her Will was hesitant to touch his, as though she feared it would taint her. Tsunayoshi resisted the urge to scoff but allowed the touch, allowed her Sight to mold with his battle instinct—or Intuition, as many called it. It made the weight of her words ring so much more real than it would have otherwise. "The Arcobaleno is the foundation of the Trinisette. The Mare Rings support and the Vongola Rings protect. The Vongola Rings can move vertically on the time-space axis. The Mare Rings act as portals from alternate timelines, alternate universes. The Arcobaleno act as points throughout the two. While it is possible for two Vongola Rings or two Mare Rings of the same Element to be on the same plane, it is impossible for two Arcobaleno of the same Element to be on the same plane. What is more, if one of the Arcobaleno is to fall, the others will combine their life energy to resurrect him… but all of the Arcobaleno fall…" She trailed off.

"Say I accept this… then what? What of the curse that binds the Arcobaleno?" Tsunayoshi demanded. "I refuse to die before I decide my life is over and I am sure that your so called Elements would despise you even more for trapping them in the body of infants."

"That is why we have called you." Checkerface said simply. "Your unique abilities will prevent that… unfortunate side effect from happening."

"Unfortunate side effect." Tsunayoshi snorted. "You sound as though we are talking about a cold and not the lives of other people… and you think me cruel because I kill people to make a living?" Tsunayoshi scoffed. "Such hypocrisy… but then again, I suppose that's what the Old Blood Council is known for, no?" The question had been rhetorical. "Say I agree to this. Obviously you are not going to grant the trinket that requires our fuel to us without some sort of test first."

"My, my, you're a troublesome little brat, aren't you? I should punish you for annoying me with all of your wary accusations." He didn't sound annoyed. Actually, he sounded _pleased_.

Tsunayoshi filed that away for later use.

"You will live in isolation." Checkerface finally said. "Luce will be there to prevent you from killing one another but the eight of you will live together. The accommodations will be spacious and there is a large plot of land that overlooks the valley below. That is where you can find most of the things you will need. There will be jobs for you to take that vary in requirements and rank but they are mostly there to satiate your desire to kill." Tsunayoshi snorted. That was an interesting way of looking at things… but at least they wouldn't be getting restless. Being an assassin, after all, wasn't like a switch that they could just flip off. They were always alert, always on the prowl. The longer they lived without release, the stronger the release became.

"Is there rules?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Only if you want there to be."

Oh yeah. A group of people who had no past affiliation with one another being forced to live together? There had to be some rules.

But still. The job itself was questionable in terms of motive. Why him? Surely there were others who could do the things he could… it was a universal talent—to split the Flame in a way that allowed them to use all seven Elements—that was rarely explored but it was a universal talent nonetheless. "…why me?" He asked again, those words holding so much more than just that question.

"Because you can amount to so much more than what you have become." Checkerface answered. Tsunayoshi closed his eyes as he let the weight of those words sink in. How long had he waited for an opportunity like this? How _long_ had he waited for Elements to call him theirs? And here it was… on a silver platter.

And he'd be damned if he let it pass him up, regardless of the fact that he'd be replacing his endearing Rain—though he swore to himself he'd find a way to incorporate him later.

"I'll do it." He finally said, breaking the tense silence that overcame them. "I agree to your terms."

**_Tuzukeru._**

* * *

Tyr was the name of the Varia Leader before Xanxus. He is also the Sword Emperor of this era. He is also an associate of Tsuna's (which you will hear more about in the interludes). He plays a signifigant role later on.

**_Thanks for reading~!_**


	3. Chapter 2

**_Author's Note_**: I am being harassed. I wish I was exaggerating but it's the truth. There is this fool on facebook that keeps messaging me. Apparently he went to school with my brother (and keep in mind-I'm on homestudies while my brother goes to public high school) and he LOOKED ME UP on facebook, added me, started messaging me and is now proceeding to say that we are in a relationship I never consented to... isn't that like harassment or something? I don't know... but no lie. I am two steps away from kicking his ass and I have no doubt that I could do it too.

This chapter gave me grief like at first it was going to be Reborn breaking into Tsunayoshi's room after he was attacked but then it turned into this. To be honest, I'm not all that happy with it. I think I might go back and edit it later but right now, I think I've kept you waiting long enough.

* * *

(1) Hotlist - Also known as the Top Twenty - a list of well-known assassins that the Alliance is on the lookout for either to recruite them or kill them (also know that the Il'prescelti Sette are part of this list, sans Colonnello since he's currently placed under Tyr's custody as a favor to Tsunayoshi)

(2) Concierge - Also referred to as "the gatekeeper" - an unofficial employee of any shadow organization within a larger syndicate. Will go into detail next chapter.

* * *

Reborn was used to sudden alterations when on a mission and, despite the emotional ties he had garnered in this case, he still considered this a mission… but Reborn wasn't sure what to think about this… associate. He was too… reserved. Too openly hostile—and while he knew first impressions were rarely good enough to build a psychological profile, he couldn't help but treat this guy as one of his more troublesome targets.

He was openly hostile but his eyes betrayed too much of his emotion. He was wary and far too edgy for Reborn's liking. He was quick to jump on obvious sore spots, like Reborn's affair with Timoteo's late sister—who had been killed after she was caught in the crossfire of a war with an enemy Family. That knowledge hadn't been public but the Family hadn't been annihilated but it had shattered any alliances they may have had which meant that if Tsunayoshi had associated himself with them, it wasn't hard to get the information.

It was circumstantial and speculative to think Tsunayoshi used the week's worth of time to look into who he would be working with—and they didn't even have any proof on the matter—but it was enough to set Reborn on edge. This new… associate… was far too unpredictable and it didn't help in the least that they didn't even know who he _was_.

And he wasn't the only one to think so. "Well?" He asked as Luce walked in. The kid was in the only room left, unpacking and setting up traps. "What do you think?"

"He's not much to look at." Skull finally said. "And he's two years younger than I am. It makes me wonder how long he's been… working… in this line of business."

"I can sense power within him." Viper said, flipping through a deck of tarot cards. She flipped one over and frowned at the ominous message. "But beyond that, I can sense nothing. It is as Luce said before. It is as though he doesn't exist."

"Fon?" Reborn looked up at him.

Fon shook his head. "I have not heard of him—or at least, not his true name." He said at last. "But he carries an aura of confidence and if what Viper says is true, then he has a reason to be confident in the words he speaks."

"So what if he's strong?" Skull demanded. "We are too!"

"Quiet down, idiot." Verde scoffed. "Getting worked up will get us nowhere. I think we need to evaluate him for a while more… and the best way to do that is to work with him. Luce, are there any more multi-missions left?"

Luce sighed. "There always are… you know that." She lowered her eyes. The gesture held far too much shame for Reborn's liking. Beside him, Lal scoffed—he wasn't the only one who thought so. "I will assign one at the end of the week. Until then… try getting to know him."

* * *

Tsunayoshi rolled off of the bed and onto the balls of his feet. His hair pooled around him, freed from its restraints. It was unbearably messy but there wasn't much he could do about it, other than put it up that is. His eyes reflected the early morning sun, streaming through the blinds of his window. It looked about to be mid-to-late morning—at least nine o'clock.

'_I haven't slept in this late since I left Germany._' Tsunayoshi mused. Maybe it was a sign things were going to be for the better.

The spray of his personal shower was nice and cool against his skin. The black marks on his back and forearms contrasted heavily with the pale ivory of his skin. The intricate designs resembled tattoos but they were a bitter reminder of Tsunayoshi's fuck up almost four years again. '_I had let myself be caught that day. I knew Tyr was a traitorous bastard but I had hoped…_' Tsunayoshi's thoughts trailed off.

He had hoped that Tyr wasn't like the other Mafia men he'd dealt with and in doing so, paid the price.

Don't get him wrong, Tsunayoshi didn't hold it against him. He'd gotten his revenge—he'd rigged a twenty story building with almost fifty pounds of C4 and other plastic explosives before setting the place ablaze with the man still inside. He was more than willing to let bygones be bygones. It was Tyr that insisted on paying him with favors and protection.

Not that he was complaining.

'_But then I guess that means that's coming to an end,_' He thought with just a touch of embitterment. If Tsunayoshi was going to be sent into isolation, Tyr would either have to keep his current charge or…

…or surrender him back to Tsunayoshi's custody.

The former was not a pretty thought. He didn't want to think about what would happen if a mentally unstable kid that was only a few years older than he was suddenly thrust ass deep into the Mafia. Colonnello was still recovering from being forced to serve in a war—forget the Mafia!

Towel drying his hair, Tsunayoshi stepped out and looked at his reflection with a bitter sense of satisfaction. His eyes practically glowed amber—a trait that marked his bloodline, the Vongola bloodline. There was no way to change them back to the caramel brown they had been before—to do so would be to end his own life. It was his Flames that pigmented his eyes the unnaturally vibrant color they were which didn't really bother him. It just meant he had to wear sunglasses all the time.

As soon as he opened the door and started fishing around for some clothes, he wondered if maybe it would just be best if he went back to bed. "_What the fuck do you mean he's gone missing?!_" Lal's _endearing_ tones rattled through his walls. Tsunayoshi winced as one of Tyr's favorite sayings came to mind—_Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned_… and Lal definitely sounded scorned right about now.

'_I wonder who she's talking to…_' He thought absently as he pulled on a dark orange t-shirt and a pair of loose fitting jean-shorts. It wasn't like he was going on any missions yet. Luce said that they had to wait at least a week so they could adapt.

"—you fucking bastard—" Tsunayoshi caught. He paused, hand poised above the doorway. Maybe he shouldn't go out there right now… the idea of crawling back into bed was rather appealing after all.

"—_I DON'T CARE IF HE'S YOUR CHARGE—_"

Yeah, he thought. He's going to wait—or at least he would have until there were two raps on his door. Tsunayoshi opened the door, blinking up at Reborn who looked as imposing as ever. He saw Reborn's eyes flow over his figure in an unimposing way before he scowled. "Put a stop to this." He said. If Tsunayoshi had been anyone else—and the one at his door not be who it was—he would have said he was _begging_.

Tsunayoshi blinked, stepping out and closing his door. "I doubt I can be of service."

Behind Reborn, Fon frowned, pulling his sleeve up to his nose. "She is talking to Tyr of the Varia."

"On the phone?"

"No." Fon replied, looking away without removing his sleeve. "He is sitting on the couch."

Tsunayoshi frowned and motioned them forward. If Tyr was here in person, why hadn't he been woken up? His steps were slow and deliberate, matching Reborn's effortlessly causing his crimped hair to bounce as he walked. He tried to ignore the way some strands clung to his neck.

There were two people sitting in the sitting area while everyone else was scattered by the bar and in the kitchen. One of them was Lal while the other was heavily scarred with slash-like scars. His right hand, which was sitting on his thigh, seemed to have been burned in a fire. He wore a bandana on his head which hid most of his messy hair.

The scarred man looked up when Tsunayoshi entered. His distasteful grimace quickly morphed into one of genuine pleasure causing his dark green eyes to glimmer. "Tsunayoshi," He smirked—because Tyr never actually smiled. "It's been a while."

Tsunayoshi's lips curved. "You look like shit." He stated but he was smiling. He leaned forward, kissing each of his cheeks—the assassin mirroring the action—before sitting down across from him. "What brings you to Trinisette Hill?" He asked. "Business?" His eyes darkened in a salacious leer. "Or pleasure?"

"All business today, Mayhem." Tyr seemed to sag a big, his scars darkening a shade or two. He tugged off the dark red bandana and slicked back his messy—and slightly shimmery, Tsunayoshi noticed—hair. "Do you remember, Tsunayoshi, in Monte Carlo? What Castielle and Esta said before they disappeared?"

Castielle and Esta had been two small time assassins that worked unofficially for Zeno before they were annihilated (and to be honest, Tsunayoshi was starting to see that a lot of his problems stemmed from those eight months he spent in Monte Carlo—nonetheless…). Tsunayoshi blinked, shifting his weight back in shock—_black acrid smoke—a bloodied woman—hateful red eyes—"We'll be back, you sonuva…"_—before he composed himself. "I may…" He said slowly.

Tyr wrung his hands together, the gesture looking entirely too wrong on the man behind it, before he looked up. "They got the kid," Tyr finally said with a grimace. Tsunayoshi froze, his stance shifting and his eyes taking on a dangerous hue. His expression, however, did not change. Tyr met his look with a carefully composed look of his own. "There was nothing we could do." He added. Tsunayoshi wondered if he knew how desperate it made him sound but ignored it for the sake of listening to his explanation. "You know he's been weening off of his meds." Tsunayoshi nodded, willing to give his old friend at least that. "Well, Dolohov said it was too soon. They got into this huge snit about it and the kid stormed off in the aftermath." Dolohov was his Storm Guardian who was quite volatile. He was too easily angered and Tsunayoshi found his overall personality distasteful. "When I went after him, we were ambushed just outside the Varia Estate. Esta was the ring leader."

"Do you know her bag of cronies?" Tsunayoshi asked, tapping his finger against the coffee table between them. The gesture was unfamiliar without his clawed gloves but it helped settle his nerves. He counted the taps, timing them with his heartbeat as it slowed in order to calm himself.

"They aren't on the hotlist." Which meant that they were going to be hard to track down. Tsunayoshi resisted the urge to groan. "But they all had pretty little marks like the ones Zeno gave you." Tsunayoshi's tapping paused and he looked up at him.

Marks like his... that meant that they were potentially dangerous. He gave a wry smile. "I doubt they were exactly like mine, Tyr." He said after a moment. "That project gave unique abilities to everyone involved." He withdrew his hand, twisting a thick strand of his crimped hair around his index and forefingers respectively as he thought about it. "Say," He said after a moment. "How would the Varia like having their concierge back in action?"

Tyr's smile was nothing short of predatory in reply.

* * *

Reborn... didn't know what to make of this. Neither did the others, apparently. Here, in the middle of the Arcobaleno Estate—as Skull had called it—was Lal, screaming her head off at the Varia leader who was giving her the boredest, most uninterested look he'd ever seen the assassin give. "What do we do, Reborn?" Fon asked quietly.

"What am I? The peacekeeper now?" Reborn asked snidely. "Go ask Luce to fix this."

"I've already tried, Reborn." Luce said tiredly. "Signore Tyr has asked for Tsunayoshi and he is still asleep."

Reborn sneered. "Then wake him up. If he can fix this, make him fix it. Her voice is annoying."

"Reborn!" Skull protested but, as usual, went ignored. He sighed. "We don't know how he'll react to being woken so suddenly." He said, regaining attention. He winced when Lal's voice became borderline shrill as she verbally assaulted her former boss. The noise had gotten so bad that Viper had retreated to her quarters with a silent promise to disembowel the next person who interrupted her meditation.

Reborn stood up abruptly. "You all are a bunch of pansies." He hissed before stalking down the hall. He was only half aware of the fact that Fon had stood up to follow him. He rapped sharply on the door, twice, before leaning back and crossing his arms in annoyance. Tsunayoshi opened the door, blinking in curiosity. He shifted his weight back in slight surprise but before he could speak or even greet him, Reborn hissed, "Put a stop to this," just as Lal let out another shriek.

"I doubt I can be of service." He said blandly, crossing his arms over his chest in defense. His posture practically screamed the same words Reborn had asked earlier—_what am I, your peacekeeper?_

Reborn scowled and moved as though he was going to give the kid a verbal lashing before Fon spoke up, his voice slightly muffled which signaled he'd moved his sleeve to cover his nose and mouth. "She is talking to Tyr of the Varia." He said, interrupting Reborn before he could go on an impatient tirade.

The boy frowned. "On the phone?" He must not have heard any of Tyr's replies which was understandable, Fon supposed. The walls were unusually thick, only a hair's breath away from being completely soundproofed.

"No." Fon replied, looking away without removing his sleeve. Reborn thought the gesture made him look prudish and had told him so on multiple occasions and Fon didn't disagree. That was partially the reason he did it to begin with. "He is sitting on the couch."

This was where things got interesting, Reborn and Fon thought as they shared a glance before exiting the hallway. Tyr's eyes lit up and they turned to ssee Tsunayoshi smiling—actually _smiling_!—in greeting. "Tsunayoshi," The man said with a smirk. "It's been a while."

"You look like shit." He said bluntly, grinning as he went over and greeted the older male in an intimate and familiar way. Reborn lowered his fedora to mask his shock. "What brings you to Trinisette Hill?" He asked. Reborn snorted silently at the way he addressed the manor. "Business?" His eyes darkened in a salacious leer. "Or pleasure?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Reborn saw Luce frown.

"All business today, Mayhem."Tyr seemed to sag a big, his scars darkening a shade or two. He tugged off the dark red bandana and raked a hand through his hair. "Do you remember, Tsunayoshi, in Monte Carlo? What Castielle and Esta said before they disappeared?"

Tsunayoshi cocked his head to the side, his mouth curving into an odd little smile. "I may." He said after a moment's debate.

"They got the kid," Tyr finally said with a grimace. Reborn watched as Tsunayoshi's eyes narrowed and his disposition changed from that of an amiable teenager to a trained assassin in a matter of seconds. Tyr looked up with a carefully composed expression. "There was nothing we could do." Reborn frowned ever-so-slightly under the shadow of his fedora. Was Tyr... _pleading_? "You know he's been weening off his meds." Meds? Weening? Reborn was lost but he'd never admit it. "Well Dolohov said it was too soon. They got into this huge snit about it and the kid stormed off in the aftermath. When I went after him, we were ambushed just outside the Varia Estate. Esta was the ringleader."

"Do you know her bag of cronies?" Tsunayoshi asked, tapping his finger against the coffee table between them. Reborn got the distinct impression that he was imagining claws on his fingertips and resisted the urge to shudder at the look he was giving Tyr.

"They aren't on the hotlist. But they all had pretty little marks like the ones Zeno gave you." Tsunayoshi's tapping paused and he looked up at him. Reborn was startled to see that Tsunayoshi actually looked... _worried_... but the look vanished behind a veil of impassiveness before he could read too much into it.

"I doubt they were exactly like mine, Tyr." He said after a moment of hesitation. "They project gave unique abilities to everyone involved." He leaned back, grabbing one of the many strands of hair that pooled around his figure. "Say," Tsunayoshi said, smiling like a sly little vixen that had just found a rabbit hole. "How would the Varia like having their concierge back in action?" Skull, Luce, Fon and Lal all jerked in shock, doing a double take in Tsunayoshi's direction.

Tsunayoshi had been the Varia's _concierge_?!

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

I will add things to it later. At the moment, I think I have kept my readers waiting long enough, hm?

**_Thanks for reading~!_**


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